UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, March 5 (UPI) -- A Danish group called Dissatisfied Unemployed has taken responsibility for dumping more than 220 pounds of manure on the front steps of the Employment Ministry.

The group said it dumped the manure, and a sign loosely translating to "thanks for crap," on the ministry's front steps early Monday morning in reaction to the government "breaking all of its promises of improvements for the unemployed," The Copenhagen Post reported Tuesday.

A participant in the stunt, who gave his name only as Preben, said members were most upset by changes made to the dagpenge unemployment benefit system.

"Thousands of people risk losing house and home," Preben said. "In January alone, 5,000 people fell out of the dagpenge system and the only thing [the employment minister] Mette Frederiksen has to offer those affected is hot air and empty talk."

British Batman unmasked

BRADFORD, England, March 5 (UPI) -- The mysterious Batman who delivered a wanted man to police in England has been unmasked as a friend of the suspect.

Police in Bradford said the crime fighter brought Danny Frayne, 27, to the police station Tuesday and left without revealing his identity, but the vigilante has now identified himself as Stan Worby, 39, who said the stunt was Frayne's idea, The Sun reported Tuesday.

Officers had been seeking Frayne on a burglary charge.

"It was a joke at the end of the day, and Danny wanted to go to the police station," Worby said. "I had spoken to Danny during the week and tried to knock some sense into him. It was getting on my nerves having police round all the time asking for him or his whereabouts."

Worby told The Daily Telegraph he only appeared overweight in CCTV footage because he layered his clothing to keep warm.

HARRISON, Mich., March 5 (UPI) -- Authorities in Michigan said a high school was evacuated after a U.S. Air Force airman wearing camouflage and a flak jacket was spotted in its hallways.

Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said no students had yet entered L'Anse Creuse High School in Harrison around 6 a.m. Tuesday when the 21-year-old airman from Selfridge Air National Guard Base was seen in camouflage military fatigues and a flak jacket, carrying an empty holster, The Detroit News reported Tuesday.

Wickersham said the man, who said he was a former student seeking a letter of recommendation, was escorted from the school because school officials had not yet arrived.

Buses carrying juniors arriving early for school to take the ACT and MME tests were directed to move to a safe location, L'Anse Creuse Public Schools spokeswoman Kelly Allen said.

The man was questioned by police and released.

"We don't foresee any charges being pressed, but it's just a bad judgment call, especially with the times today," Wickersham said.

Police: Woman pulled gun in Walmart

CRAWFORDVILLE, Fla., March 5 (UPI) -- Florida authorities said they arrested a woman accused of assaulting a Walmart worker and returning to the store with a gun in an argument about a coupon.

The Wakulla County Sheriff's Office said Mary Frances Alday, 61, became verbally abusive toward a worker at the Crawfordville store March 1 after she was told she could not use an Internet coupon, and was escorted from the store after striking an assistant manager with a shopping cart.

Police said Alday got a firearm from her vehicle and returned to the store, waving it at the alleged victim and three other employees.

Deputies stopped Alday's vehicle near the store and shocked her with a stun gun after she allegedly refused to follow a deputy's command to get out of the vehicle.

Sgt. Danny Harrell said Alday struck him several times during the arrest.

Alday was charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count each of battery, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence.

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